IN HOC SIGNO VINCES

Authorities retrieved more than 2600 corpses of Mosul civilians

Mosul – Authorities in Mosul have pulled out more than 2600 corpses of civilians from under the rubble since operations to recapture the city from Islamic State militants concluded in July, an official was quoted saying Monday.

Laith Habbaba, a doctor and an acting director of Nineveh Health Department, told Abadolu Agency that forensic doctors have so far received 2650 corpses of civilians retrieved from debris in western Mosul, mostly from the Old City district, since Iraqi government operations managed to recapture the city on July 10th.

The corpses are officially registered at the department, Habbaba said, adding that civil defense workers were still in efforts to pull out more dead bodies, some of which, he said, were difficult to reach.

Also speaking to Anadolu Agency, Cap. Abdul-Hadi al-Abbasi, from the Interior Ministry’s Rapid Response Service, said the retrieval of corpses will further facilitate the return of displaced residents, but said the biggest challenge is the explosives and landmines left over by Islamic State militants in the city.

Early August, Iraq’s Civil Defense service said there were at least 3000 corpses buried under rubble in Mosul.

Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul after more than eight months of battles with IS, and later took over the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, late August.